An old, 17th-century chaplaincy, its outbuildings, its swimming pool, its tennis court
and its 1.5 ha of parklands in Charente-Tuscany
Angoulême, CHARENTE poitou-charentes 16000 FR

Location

This property is in the mid-west France, less than 30 minutes from Angoulême and its TGV train station, with 110-minute links to Paris-Montparnasse. 45 minutes from Cognac, birthplace of François 1st, capital of the drink of the same name whose spirit is distilled in the commune from local vines, it is blessed with the sunny, southern Atlantic climate. The region is known as the Charente-Tuscany because of its undulating landscapes covered with pine and oak woods as well as fields of wheat, maize, sunflowers and vines. In the midst of a region renowned for its French gastronomy: Cognac, Pineau, strawberries, melons, foie-gras, Barbezieux chicken, truffles, king boletes, Chalais veal, etc.
The local heritage includes old stone, Romanesque churches, a nearby Knights Templar chapel renowned for its 12th century fresco, the biggest in the world, and estates, such as that of Alfred-de-Vigny. All shops are to be found in the village just a few minutes’ drive away.

Description

A secondary road leads to the property via the west, running alongside a thick hedge that opens in line with the setting sun. It then reveals the exteriors of the buildings laid out around a square paved courtyard. The latter is closed by iron gates in two places, on either side of a little house standing on the east side. The main house is on the north side, facing the courtyard, whilst opposite, on the south side, is a large covered area, extended by a barn, followed by a house on the right-hand side of the entrance. On the left-hand side of the latter is a vast, L-shaped barn, with another building adjoining the main house. The L-shape encompasses a swimming pool. The tennis court is further east, on the other side, at the end of the parklands enhanced with tall trees as well as fruit trees.

The chaplaincy

As for all the buildings, the thick walls of this chaplaincy are constructed from exposed quarry stone blocks, known as “shellstone”, with dressed stone surrounds framing most of the doors and inward-opening windows. The wooden shutters are mouse-grey in colour. The low, hip roofs are covered with terracotta Roman tiles.


The ground floor
The entrance door, topped with its bull’s eye window, opens into a large corridor, with a high ceiling featuring oak wood joists and, at the end, a pastel-grey, quarter turning, wooden stairway. Enhanced by its colour, it stands out from the white walls like an ornament. A stone sink is set in a corner on the immediate left-hand side.
Doors on either side open into two vast rooms, a lounge on the left, with its stone fireplace, typical of the region, and a living room on the right, with its stone fireplace. Both fireplaces extend up to oak wood, French ceilings which contrast elegantly with the whiteness of the walls. A French window makes it possible to go from the living room out into the parklands on the east side, with its tennis court.
On the left-hand side behind the stairway, a toilet with a wash-hand basin, gives way to a room laid out as a study, its oak wood flooring reflecting the patina of time. It is enhanced with a corner stone fireplace, adorned with wooden facing, leaving exposed the sculpture of its pilasters rising up to the cornice edging the ceiling.
A door opens into a large, south-facing lounge, where a French window gives direct access to the swimming pool on the west side. Another door leads northwards to the adjoining barn.
On the other side, to the right of the stairway, the corridor opens into a kitchen, made bright by its walls and French ceiling, reflecting the delicate rays from the French windows. This room is embellished with a fireplace, its old stone jambs bearing witness to the age of the premises. On the north side, next to a work surface, a door opens into a vast room, a summer kitchen, with terracotta floor tiles and an exposed oak wood roofing framework. A fireplace used for cooking purposes is in one corner. A door provides access to the barn, standing on the west of the main house. Composed of exposed stone, it is surrounded by picture windows opening on to the outside.

The first floor
This floor, laid out under the rafters, has been converted, with wooden flooring, and made luminous by windows set in the walls under the roof. The landing, lined with large cupboards, houses a little lounge, illuminated via a skylight. As on the ground floor, the doors are made of natural oak wood. Four bedrooms have been created in the corners of the house. The hues of the walls and ceilings remain light and sober, with natural wooden flooring. Three of the bedrooms have their own bathroom, with a toilet.

The little house

Independent and standing on the east side of the courtyard, this little house is linked via a fence, composed of railings, to the main house in the north-east corner and the covered area on the south-east side. Topped with a hip roof, it is extended by a small, lower section with a gable roof. The main room on the ground floor spans approx. 45 m². With floor tiles and an open-plan kitchen, it is followed at the back by a bathroom. This main room is enhanced with a fireplace which, flanked on either side by a large wall cupboard, extends up to the ceiling featuring the exposed roofing framework. A quarter turning stairway goes up to a mezzanine, spanning approx. 20 m² in the centre of the room and set between two trusses. Composed of wood, it is like an observation post looking down on either side on the room below.

The second house

Forming an integral part of the main house, it has the same architectural features as the latter.


The ground floor
The entrance hall gives access to a vast living room, with a fireplace, a kitchen and a toilet. There are floor tiles throughout.
The first floor
The upstairs, with parquet flooring, comprises two bedrooms, a bathroom and a separate toilet, with a tiled floor.

The outbuildings

The barn, spanning approx. 130 m² and adjoining the main house, forms an L-shape with another barn, its surface area spanning more than 400 m². The end of the latter still features a few old pigsties, bordering the entrance. The vast covered area, able to take up to four cars, is laid out with a barn, spanning approx. 120 m², followed by the house on the right-hand side of the entrance.

Our opinion

Stretches of countryside, with sun, space and light. This property harmoniously reflects and blends in with its surroundings. Its soberness, linked with the elegance of its interiors, enhances this character property, with its simple, protective nature. All the buildings encompassing the courtyard, with their swimming pool, their paving stones and their flowerbeds, protect these premises like a rampart, providing them with comfort and a certain privacy.

684 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense


See the fee rates

Reference 968679

Land registry surface area 15061 m2
Main building surface area 408 m2
Number of bedrooms 4
Outbuilding surface area 500 m2

French Energy Performance Diagnosis

Consultant

Ariel Dormeau +33 1 42 84 80 85

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NB: The above information is not only the result of our visit to the property; it is also based on information provided by the current owner. It is by no means comprehensive or strictly accurate especially where surface areas and construction dates are concerned. We cannot, therefore, be held liable for any misrepresentation.

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